Method and apparatus for transmitting dummy video sync and audio signals in optical disc player

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting dummy video sync and audio signals in an optical disc player, which are capable of generating a dummy video sync signal when the optical disc player plays an audio-only optical disc. The method and apparatus transmit to a television the dummy video sync signal along with an audio signal read/reproduced from the optical disc. Accordingly, the invention prevents the television from being automatically turned off or switched to an audio mute state when only audio signals are reproduced from the disc without any reproduction of associated video signals. As a result, the user can hear audio sound through speakers equipped in the television even though only audio signals are reproduced from the disc.

1. A method for generating dummy video sync signals in a data recording medium player, the method comprising:
 reading out a signal recorded on a data recording medium and reproducing the read-out signal; 
 generating a dummy video sync signal when there is only an audio signal and no video signal included in the reproduced signal; and 
 transmitting, to an output device, the dummy video sync signal along with the reproduced signal, the reproduced signal including the audio signal, but no video signal, 
 wherein the dummy video sync signal has a same frequency as a sync signal frequency of a general video signal such that the output device displays an image corresponding to the dummy video sync signal having the same frequency as the sync signal frequency of the general video signal and outputs the audio signal via a speaker associated with the output device. 
 
   
   
     2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if there are video and audio signals in the reproduced signal, transmitting the video and audio signals in the reproduced signal to the output device. 
 
   
   
     3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the data recording medium is an optical disc. 
   
   
     4. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the optical disc is an audio-only optical disc, whereby the dummy video sync signal is transmitted to the output device, along with an audio signal read/reproduced from the audio-only optical disc. 
   
   
     5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the audio-only optical disc is a CD or an optical disc recorded with MP3 audio data. 
   
   
     6. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the audio-only optical disc is a DVD audio disc. 
   
   
     7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the data recording medium player is an optical disc player, such that the reading out and reproducing steps are performed in the optical disc player. 
   
   
     8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the generating and transmitting steps are performed by the optical disc player. 
   
   
     9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the transmitting step, the output device is a television. 
   
   
     10. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reading out navigation information stored on the data recording medium; and 
 storing the read navigation information in a storage unit of the data recording medium player. 
 
   
   
     11. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 identifying a type of the data recording medium based on the navigation information, when a play operation is requested; and 
 determining whether or not the data recording medium is an audio-only recording medium based on the identifying result. 
 
   
   
     12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the generating step includes:
 determining whether or not there is a video signal included in the reproduced signal even if the determining step determines that the data recording medium is an audio-only recording medium. 
 
   
   
     13. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the generating step determines that there is no video signal included in the reproduced signal if the determining step determines that the data recording medium is an audio-only recording medium. 
   
   
     14. An apparatus for generating dummy video sync signals and usable in a data recording medium player, the apparatus comprising:
 a unit configured to read out a signal recorded on a data recording medium and reproduce the read-out signal; 
 a generating unit configured to. generate a dummy video sync signal when there is only an audio signal and no video signal included in the reproduced signal; and 
 a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to an output device, the dummy video sync signal along with the reproduced signal, the reproduced signal including the audio signal, but no video signal, 
 wherein the dummy video sync signal has a same frequency as a sync signal frequency of a general video signal such that the output device displays an image corresponding to the dummy video sync signal having the same frequency as the sync signal frequency of the general video signal and outputs the audio signal via a speaker associated with the output device. 
 
   
   
     15. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein,
 if there are video and audio signals in the reproduced signal, the transmitting unit transmits the video and audio signals in the reproduced signal to the output device. 
 
   
   
     16. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the data recording medium is an optical disc. 
   
   
     17. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the optical disc is an audio-only optical disc, whereby the dummy video sync signal is transmitted to the output device, along wit an audio signal read/reproduced from the audio-only optical disc. 
   
   
     18. The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the audio-only optical disc is a CD or an optical disc recorded with MP3 audio data. 
   
   
     19. The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the audio-only optical disc is a DVD audio disc. 
   
   
     20. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the data recording medium player is an optical disc player, such that the unit to read out and reproduce is present in the optical disc player. 
   
   
     21. The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the generating unit and the transmitting unit are present in the optical disc player. 
   
   
     22. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the output device is a television. 
   
   
     23. The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a unit configured to read navigation information stored on the data recording medium; and 
 a unit configured to store the read navigation information in a storage unit of the data recording medium player. 
 
   
   
     24. The apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a unit configured to identify a type of the data recording medium based on the navigation information, when a play operation is requested; and 
 a unit configured to determine whether or not the data recording medium is an audio-only recording medium based on the identification result. 
 
   
   
     25. The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the generating unit includes:
 a second unit configured to determine whether or not there is a video signal included in the reproduced signal even if it is determined that the data recording medium is an audio-only recording medium. 
 
   
   
     26. The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the generating unit determines that there is no video signal included in the reproduced signal if it is determined that the data recording medium is an audio-only recording medium.